Just A Little Change
by GrandNinjaMasterRen
Summary: A series of short, unrelated oneshots with a small change and its immediate effects.
1. Intensity

A change in: Intensity

Because Zabuza genuinely cared for Haku.

* * *

Haku threw the senbon at the blond. Sasuke shoved Naruto back and in turn got hit.

"No matter how many times I warn you, Naruto, you still keep getting in my way…"

Naruto smiled briefly at his teammate before realizing the extent of Sasuke's injuries.

"Now get that lame expression off your stupid face… You screw up"

"Wh- Why…" Naruto stammered. _He was trying to cover me…?!_

" _Why…?" You ask me why?_

Blood ran down Sasuke's chin as he said, "I used to hate you, you know.."

"Why… Why did you…?! Why… Me…?" Naruto asked. Sasuke didn't answer.

"You should have just minded your own business!" Naruto shouted.

"...How should I know…? My body just… moved… on its own… fool…!" Sasuke said, tears welling up in the corner of his eyes. Sasuke began to fall backwards. Naruto slid forward and caught his teammate.

"I swore I wouldn't die… until I killed him… my older brother… Thought the oath would save me… but… but don't you dare die…" Sasuke stilled.

Haku pushed himself onto a knee as he said, " He struck one blow at me… and without any sign of shirking… sacrificed himself for you! He was a shinobi worthy of the utmost respect… who, in order to protect someone he cared about, threw himself headlong into what he knew full well was a trap. Is this the first time a comrade of yours has died…? Such is a ninja's path." Haku melted back into his mirror.

"Shut up…" Naruto said quietly. Killing intent laced the air, growing stronger by the second.

"I'm never gonna forgive you for this… I'M GONNA KILL YOU!", the blond shouted. Red chakra exploded from the boy, forming a fox head in the sky and utterly destroying the mirrors. Haku barely escaped. Haku's mask was cracked and slipping from his face. Time seemed to slow down as the pieces hit the bridge.

"You?!" Naruto cried, the chakra around him dying out. Haku was lying on the ground, cut and bruised, his long hair a tangled, bloody mess.

"Haku!" Naruto barely registered Zabuza's shout, hardly felt the missing-nin's sword touch his throat; His head was reeling. _How could that kind, if feminine, boy I met picking herbs be the enemy that had killed Sasuke?_

"Don't touch him!" Zabuza growled, glaring at the bewhiskered blond. Naruto stepped back. Zabuza had created a water clone which was now cradling Haku's head.

"I'm sorry, Zabuza-sama. I could not defeat him for you." Haku said quietly. Kakashi moved to Naruto's side, ready to once again engage the missing-nin.

"Well, would you look at that… It seems that you broke your little tool, Zabuza." The mist parted to reveal Gato and a small army of mercenaries. Zabuza swapped with his water clone and picked Haku up bridal style.

"I was never planning to pay you, you know… I was going to poison you both…" Gato continued.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!" Zabuza responded by flipping Gato the bird and body flickering away, Haku tucked safely in his arms.

* * *

Haku awoke in a forest. He could feel the bandages wrapped around his arm catching on something.

"Careful," Zabuza said," You got hurt pretty bad and I'm not much of a medic. Still…"

Zabuza trailed off.

"Wh..What?" Haku croaked.

"Just… Never do something that… _stupid_ … again, alright? I don't know what I'd do without you, Otouto." Haku smiled in agreement with his precious person.

"Hai, Aniki."


	2. Temperament

A change in: Temperament

Because, for all its faults and flaws, Konoha was still Sasuke's home.

* * *

Madara had told Sasuke exactly why Itachi had slaughtered the Uchiha clan. _It's the fault of Konoha!_ Sasuke growled mentally, swinging his feet from the tree branch he was perched on. _I'll see them all BURN!_ But they came unbidden to his mind, the memories of his frie- _ **No!**_ _They aren't my friends! I'm too broken to befriend anyone, much less two of the most wholesome people that live. Sakura…_ A light blush tinged his face as he reminisced on his pink-haired former teammate. _Naruto..._ Bright orange jumpsuit, brighter blond hair, and a positively blinding smile. _What would you do…. Naruto?_

"Sasuke?" Suigetsu's voice cut through his leader's angst-ridden thoughts.

"What," the last Uchiha growled. Suigetsu sat down beside Sasuke.

"I was going to ask you the same question. What now, fearless leader?" Sasuke looked away.

Silence reigned for what seemed like hours, but neither broke it, until Sasuke said,"I don't know."

"Then… Come up with something! You're in charge here!" Suigetsu raised his eyes to the darkening sky.

"I want to go home." He didn't realize those words had been spoken aloud, until his companion responded.

"Then,...Why don't you?" The words were spoken softly, a stark contrast to the swordsman's belligerent personality. Sasuke closed his eyes and lowered his head.

"How can I face them?… I'm worse than trash." The words stung, but Sasuke knew that those would be his sensei's words.

"And what about you guys? I hardly want the apocalypse enough to loose you, Juugo, and Karin on the world." Sasuke glanced at his teammate.

"Karin would follow you anywhere if given the chance. She's creepy like that. Juugo would only care if he accidently hurt someone and I couldn't care less." A beat of silence passed.

"We will follow, if you'll lead." Suigetsu stated. Sasuke didn't think the swordsman was lying. Sasuke almost smiled.

"We leave for Konoha at dawn. Try not to antagonise Karin too much on the way; I hate her whining."


	3. Hobbies

Chapter 3: Hobbies

A change in: Hobbies.

Because playing an instrument boosts mental capabilities, coordination, and is the best means to waste time.

* * *

Nine-year-old Naruto, with much difficulty, picked up his birthday gift. The box was almost taller than he was. Without much ceremony, he opened the case to reveal a shiny, gold tube-like item. In the case with the strange gift was a book that had a title that proclaimed Beginner's Guide to: Trumpets.

* * *

Twelve-year-old Naruto played his trumpet from his place near the fallen shinobi. The notes of Taps echoed across the water as the snow kissed cold faces.'I'll play for you once more, Haku' Naruto thought.

* * *

Naruto played a jouncy little tune on his trumpet, and Gaara smiled. It was hard for the redhead to not smile as his friend danced around with that ridiculously loud instrument. The Kazekage was a better person because of the boy in front of him. Though the Sand ninja wished that the trumpet wasn't seemingly attached to the blond's hands.

* * *

Itachi would never admit to flinching when his mark pulled out the trumpet, but nevertheless, the movement the eldest Uchiha made could only be described as such. Amid the panic of Konoha's Herald pulling out his most well known weapon, which consisted of a lot of 'Kids back into the classroom, Konohamaru that means you,' Itachi made his escape. He quickly entreated Kisame to follow and the S-ranked criminals ran from the jinchuriki with a brass instrument.

* * *

Tsunade thought she'd never again see the day that an army would run from one man, but nonetheless here she stood, ready to fight or heal as it may be, and the invading forces just ran away as soon as the Seventh Hokage showed up, trumpet in hand and said," Sorry, I'm late. I was practicing." Naruto truly was something else.


	4. Mentor

A change in: Mentor

Because Shisui was just as good as Itachi.

* * *

Sasuke begged his brother to train him every day, only to be sent off with a forehead poke. Today Sasuke decided to try something new.

"Train me, Shisui-nii-san!" Shisui smiled.

"Come on, Sasuke-chan! If you can learn the Body Flicker, even just a little, in three days, you're going to be my new favorite cousin!"

* * *

Haku was fast with those mirrors, but, unfortunately for him, Sasuke was faster. Sharingan spinning, Sasuke moved to intercept Haku at every opportunity. Naruto may have broken the mirrors, but without Sasuke's speed, they both could have been injured or worse.

* * *

Orochimaru moved to give Sasuke his curse seal. Abruptly, Sasuke was no longer tied to the tree. Even the eyes of one of the Sannin couldn't keep up with the speedster. Helpless, Orochimaru fled.

* * *

Sasuke donned Shisui's old ANBU mask. He would keep the memory of his elder cousin alive in both technique and name. Shunshin no Sasuke met his brother as he lay dying. Itachi saw with what little vision he had left, an image so similar to Shisui's after-image clone. In his mind, the images of Sasuke and Shisui overlapped. Itachi died with a smile.


End file.
